Native Americans Fear Effects Of Oil Drilling Permit In Calif. Monument

"The Bureau of Land Management announced in March that oil drilling would resume within the Carrizo Plain National Monument, land that is significant to more than a dozen tribes representing three tribal cultural groups in central California.

The monument, located about 120 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has been a major travel route and important cultural and material resource for the Chumash, Salinan and Yokut peoples for more than 10,000 years. It was named a national monument in 2001 to protect cultural and environmental assets in the region, but two small oil fields discovered in 1948 were still allowed to operate on the southwestern edge of the monument.  

While the well site in question hasn’t produced any oil in decades, BLM has given the greenlight to E&B Natural Resources ― a firm that specializes in “revitalizing” old oil fields using recently-developed extraction technology ― to operate at the site. The company had first sought to open a new well on an existing site within the grandfathered fields six years ago, and was also given permission to construct a new pipeline to convey crude to a collection site, according to the permit. "

Debra Utacia Krol reports for HuffPost June 27, 2018.

Source: HuffPost, 06/29/2018